1. Technical Field
This disclosure relates to methods and systems supporting online consumer transactions by a user. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to network-based consumer transactions with credit accounts.
2. Related Art
Conventional network-based marketplaces (e.g. consumer websites) provide users with functionality to browse a collection of goods or services at a website and make purchases using a variety of means. For example, conventional credit cards can be used for an online purchase. In this case, the user enters the credit card number into a data field on a web form provided by a merchant or third party website. Conventional debit cards can be similarly used. Using these conventional financial systems and processes on the Web, users can shop and make purchases of goods or services over the Internet. Unfortunately, however, the user/purchaser's credit or debit card numbers become vulnerable to discovery and misuse once the card numbers are entered into a web form. Further, the credit card companies charge a fee for processing the credit transaction.
The PayPal system is also a popular example of a conventional financial system and process to facilitate online consumer transactions. The PayPal system provides a user account created for each user wherein a user associates his/her credit card, debit card, or bank account with the PayPal account. Subsequently, the user can make secure purchases using the PayPal account without revealing his/her credit card number or financial information. However, when a user makes a purchase at a merchant site, the user must separately log in to the PayPal site to gain access to their PayPal account in order to complete the consumer transaction at the merchant site. This separate log in process can be cumbersome and slow for the consumer.
Thus, a system and method supporting network-based consumer transactions with credit accounts are needed.